Chapter 213: Return to Blackstone City

The straw figure exploded, sending broken stems flying in all directions. A gray ripple radiated outward, causing all plants in its path to wither instantly. The water on the table turned from clear to black, then emitted a foul odor.

The skin on the Demonseed Sect Leader’s face visibly dried up, especially on the finger he had used earlier. The flesh peeled away, revealing the white bone beneath.

The power flowed up his finger, attempting to curse him to death.

“Someone cast a spell on me?!”

A demon seed materialized on the Demonseed Sect Leader’s body. A translucent bubble floated out from him, acting like an outer garment drifting away. The lower half of the bubble trailed long strands as it separated from his body, carrying with it all the invading curse energy.

The power circled around the courtyard, absorbing all the plant roots. Then it began to rotate counterclockwise in mid-air, shrinking smaller and smaller, until it formed a spherical ball that flew back onto the table.

The sphere continued to spin rapidly, harnessing the strength of the plant roots within its confines, preventing any energy from escaping.

Once freed from the curse’s power, the Demonseed Sect Leader’s shattered finger swiftly regenerated. Flesh and blood reformed, quickly repairing the injury.

A familiar sensation arose within him.

Guided by the memory of what Chen Luo had taught, the Demonseed Sect Leader traced the curse’s roots. He conjured a demon seed with his gesture and superimposed it onto the reflected curse energy, directing it back to its source.

All curses come at a price. If a curser fails to kill, the curse will rebound on them. It was widely known in the cultivation world that the most potent curses required burning one’s lifespan to cast.

As connections formed, the Demonseed Sect Leader followed this thread of sensation, revealing the individual who had orchestrated the ambush. The scene unfolded amidst a desolate landscape of rubble and ruin, seemingly fresh from a bitter conflict.

At the outskirts of this devastation, he spied the recently cursed High Sumer Yinwind. The man was a pathetic sight, sitting on the ground grievously injured, blood seeping from his mouth as he struggled to breath. Yet the air around him was thick with curse energy. Even with the connection to the returning blows incurs that allowed him to perceive the status, the Demonseed Sect Leader remained powerless to retaliate.

“Hack hack…”

Shangren Yinwind struggled to raise his head, wanting to say a few words. But as soon as he opened his mouth, blood sprayed out, forcing him to swallow his words back down.

Skimming past him, the Demonseed Sect Leader’s gaze fell on his disciple, Shi Jun.

Compared to Shangren Yinwind, Shi Jun’s condition was even more pitiful. He lay among the scattered debris, his body oozing blood from numerous wounds. A large section of his chest had caved inward, as if struck by some heavy object. Sensing perhaps the presence of another being, Shi Jun’s eyes fluttered open. With a face filled with joy and hope, he cried out:

“Master, save me!”

“Shangren Yinwind and his friends have disregarded your honor, daring to attack me in such a treacherous manner. You must curse them to death, refine their souls, and seize their spirits—ensuring they can never recover.”

Thwack!

Before Shi Jun could finish his plea, a shovel suddenly swept in from the side, its flat blade brutally striking him on the head. The sound of the impact was muffled, cutting short Shi Jun’s words. His head burst open like a watermelon, creating a radial pattern of blood and shattered rock. The headless corpse convulsed twice before going still.

“So utterly foolish. Perhaps death is truly the best fate for such imbeciles,” he muttered. “Don’t you agree?”

Chen Luo retracted his iron shovel and turned his gaze, once again locking eyes with the Demonseed Sect Leader through the miasma of curses. The sect leader’s eyes narrowed, and the power of the curse instantly pierced the void, hurtling towards Chen Luo in retaliation.

Jingling!

The sound of copper coins chimed.

The soil beneath Chen Luo’s feet cracked, and a scarecrow that had just emerged from the earth promptly shielded him. It swayed slightly, its crudely drawn face tilting upward. To everyone’s surprise, it grinned at the Demonseed Sect Leader.

Boom!

The scarecrow exploded, absorbing all the deflecting curses. The nearby red strings and copper coins simultaneously lost their color.

A true master of curses!

This method of using scarecrows to redirect curses was akin to his earlier technique of employing demon seed bubbles. The sect leader’s expert handling of curses and instinctive response made it clear he was a demonic cultivator who had devoted his entire life to the Art of Curses.

The Demonseed Sect Leader narrowed his eyes, studying his opponent, his mind racing through a list of his enemies. He was genuinely stumped as to when he had managed to offend such a powerful master of curses.

No wonder the Demonseed Sect Leader’s memory was poor. The current Chen Luo was a completely different person from the one who had killed Yue Qingping years ago. One was in the early Foundation Establishment stage, while the other was in the late Foundation Establishment stage. It would be normal for people to not recognize the changes in his appearance over such a short period of time.

“We still don’t know your esteemed name, Fellow Daoist. At our level, there’s no grudge that can’t be resolved,” the Demonseed Sect Leader began.

But after the curse’s power was extinguished, the connection between them was severed once again before he could finish his sentence.

“The old geezer still wants to pull a fast one on me,” Chen Luo thought, sensing the severed connection. He then put his shovel back into his Pouch of Holding. He wouldn’t collect Shi Jun’s brain, either. After being filled with the Demonseed Sect Leader’s useless thoughts, Shi Jun wasn’t just stupid—he couldn’t even assess the situation properly. If Chen Luo took that brain, he feared it might backfire in the future. Besides, Shi Jun was one of the Demonseed Sect Leader’s demonic seeds. Chen Luo had already taken Yue Qingping’s brain, so there was no point in taking more—it’d just unnecessarily use up carrying capacity.

The Demonseed Sect Leader wasn’t an easy opponent. His last statement seemed like an olive branch, but it was actually an attempt to coax Chen Luo’s name from him.

Whatever name he speaks aloud, true or false, will become linked to him. If a powerful old monster like that gets such an opportunity, he’ll surely deliver Chen Luo a grand ‘gift’—one he won’t want to receive.

Fortunately, Chen Luo had also cultivated Curse Magic and was no longer a novice in its use. Among the seventy-plus Foundation Establishment brains he had acquired, there were several dedicated to mastering curses. With these external brains at his disposal, his command of Curse Magic was unparalleled, as though he had spent a lifetime honing the art of a curse cultivator.

“My heartfelt thanks to you, Fellow Daoist,” said Shangren Yinwind, having now fully recovered. He had slowly expelled the lingering curse energy encircling him. His miscalculation this time had nearly cost him his life. Thankfully, Chen Luo had intervened and saved him, even taking on the grudge against the Demonseed Sect Leader himself. In Shangren Yinwind’s eyes, Chen Luo was undoubtedly a worthy friend for whom he would go to any length.

Borrowed brains or not, there was no denying Chen Luo’s courage in stepping into a dangerous situation when his interests were at stake.

“Such expressions of gratitude aren’t necessary between friends,” Chen Luo replied with a warm smile. Naturally, he couldn’t reveal to Shangren Yinwind that he had only intervened to cause trouble for the Demonseed Sect Leader. When a favor comes free, one must seize the opportunity.

“I’ve sustained significant injuries this time and will require time to recover. As for information about the Demonseed Sect Leader, I’ll keep an ear out. If an opportunity arises, I’ll be sure to contact you again, Fellow Daoist,” a cold, sinister glint flashing in Shangren Yinwind’s eyes.

As an old demon in the Foundation Establishment realm, his temporary retreat was merely to fuel a more vicious revenge later. Due to the incident with Shi Jun, he had already incurred the wrath of the Demonseed Sect. Upon returning, he would relocate from Yinwind Cave. Though he was somewhat reluctant to leave, compared to his own life, any material possessions could be forsaken.

“Very well, fellow Daoist. Take care.”

After a brief chat about purchasing refined corpses in Blackstone City, Shangren Yinwind took his leave, soaring into the sky.

Once Shangren Yinwind had departed, Chen Luo turned towards Blackstone City and began his flight in that direction.

Since there’s a place selling refined corpses, I must at least take a look. Information from Shangren Yinwind can’t be wasted.

After leaving the Five Eyes Temple area, Chen Luo traveled east for three full days before once again entering the territory of Blackstone City. As he crossed into this region, he could immediately sense the more abundant spiritual energy. The effect of the third-rank spirit vein was strikingly evident; the lush vegetation around Blackstone City was exceptionally vibrant. At the edge of the verdant plain stood a massive mountain peak, its summit shrouded in swirling mist and snow—the very location where Blackstone City was nestled.

After flying down to the Middle Stratum, Chen Luo located the same relay station from his previous visit and spent two days reaching Blackstone City.

This was his second time there.

The view upon entering was much like his first visit, with the same temporary identity token. The difference this time was that there was no time limit, because Shangren Yinwind had given him a special token. As a late Foundation Establishment old demon, Shangren Yinwind had a permanent residence within Blackstone City.

Bought the refined corpse from the Puppet Pavilion in the market.

Chen Luo followed Yinwind’s instructions and quickly found his way.

The Puppet Pavilion was incredibly lavish, with a main gate over five meters high. Two enormous wooden puppets stood at the entrance, their faces so lifelike they could almost pass for real people. The interior of the pavilion was also very crowded. Some Qi Refining cultivators who sold materials made trade on the first floor, creating a scene reminiscent of a vegetable market.

Chen Luo scanned the interior of the pavilion and quickly discovered a passageway leading down.

Strangers in black robes occasionally entered or exited from the gate, each emitting a cold and sinister aura. Most were in the late stages of Qi Refining, with a few Foundation Establishment cultivators passing by now and then.

The interior of the passage was spotless, with night pearls providing a soft glow along both sides, casting an eerie yet beautiful light upon the murals decorating the walls.

As Chen Luo entered, Shangren Yinwind’s token flashed. A wisp of his essence escaped and merged with the passageways. Surprisingly, the surface restrictions of the path lit up. Those with and without tokens would be led to different destinations.

This was a simple trick combining array formations and restrictions—a technique Chen Luo could comprehend.

After walking only a few steps down the corridor, he encountered someone. A young cultivator dressed in black emerged, their face pallid. They coughed occasionally as they walked, blood seeping from their fingertips. Chen Luo involuntarily paused at the sight of them.

Lady Bai Gu’s essence.

Chen Luo vividly recalled this fellow cultivator who had once aided him. During their initial occupation of Gu Demon Mountain, they had joined forces against external threats. Later, upon hearing news of the Rakshasa Bone, Lady Bai Gu departed, and since then, there had been no word from her.

He’d thought they would never cross paths again, yet here he sensed her presence.

The figure seemed not to notice Chen Luo, brushing past him with a cough before disappearing into the corridor.

Mentally noting her essence, Chen Luo continued his journey.